View source for Paul Barker

{{short description|American bass guitarist}}
{{About|the musician|the writer|Paul Barker (writer)|the Australian Anglican bishop|Paul Barker (bishop)}}
{{Use American English|date=August 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name                = Paul Barker
| image               = Paul Barker in 2011.jpg
| alt                 = 
| caption             = Barker in 2011
| background          = solo_singer
| birth_name          = 
| alias               = Hermes Pan, Ion Barker
| birth_date          = {{birth date and age|1959|2|8}}
| birth_place         = [[Palo Alto, California]], U.S.
| origin              =
| death_date          = <!-- {{death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (death date 1st) -->
| death_place         = 
| genre               = [[Industrial metal]], [[alternative metal]], [[post-punk]], [[alternative rock]], [[electronica]]
| occupation          = Musician, producer
| instrument          = Bass guitar, guitar, programming, keyboards, vocals
| years_active        = 1980–present
| current_member_of = [[Lead into Gold]], [[U.S.S.A.]]
| past_member_of    = [[1000 Homo DJs]], [[Acid Horse]], Bells into Machines, [[The Blackouts]], [[Lard (band)|Lard]], [[Ministry (band)|Ministry]], [[Pink Anvil]], [[Revolting Cocks]]
| url                 = 
}}

'''Paul Gordon Barker''' (born February 8, 1959), also referred to as '''Hermes Pan''', is an American musician, best known as the former bass guitarist, producer and engineer for [[industrial metal]] band [[Ministry (band)|Ministry]] from 1986 to 2003. Prior to Ministry, he provided bass for the Seattle [[post-punk]] ensemble [[The Blackouts]] alongside future Ministry drummer [[Bill Rieflin]] and his brother, one-time Ministry touring keyboardist/saxophonist Roland Barker, from 1979 until 1985.

== Career ==

=== Ministry ===
Beginning as touring bassist for Ministry's 1986 ''[[Twitch (Ministry album)|Twitch]]'' tour, Barker collaborated with frontman [[Al Jourgensen]] and collectively released ''[[The Land of Rape and Honey]]'' in 1988. Although many musicians briefly contributed to Ministry in the nearly two-decade period after Barker joined the band, he and Jourgensen were the only continuous members. The dynamics between these two different personalities came to shape Ministry's sound, along with a number of side-projects which they were involved in together.

In 2003, Barker left the band a year after the release of their eighth album ''[[Animositisomina]]''. The decision was made official after the death of his father. Despite being in Ministry for almost 18 years, Jourgensen did not do anything to spur his departure. "Over the years we've had strained relations as well as good times, and the last tour was no different than any other tour. That means it was extremely difficult and very intense and lots of fun," Barker had said.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Wiederhorn|first1=Jon|title=Founding Bassist Paul Barker Leaves Ministry|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1484541/founding-bassist-paul-barker-leaves-ministry/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141023062306/http://www.mtv.com/news/1484541/founding-bassist-paul-barker-leaves-ministry/|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 23, 2014|website=MTV News|date=January 22, 2004|access-date=October 12, 2018}}</ref>

It is often believed that Jourgensen and Barker were close bandmates and the latter played a huge creative role in the band. Jourgensen rebuffed these claims saying that their relationship was more like an arranged marriage and "acrimonious." He said that they were never friends but business partners.<ref name="Lost Gospels">{{cite book|last1=Jourgensen|first1=Al|last2=Wiederhorn|first2=Jon|url=https://archive.org/details/ministrylostgosp00jour/page/68|title=Ministry: The Lost Gospels According To Al Jourgensen|format=loan required|date=July 9, 2013|location=Boston, MA|publisher=Da Capo Press|pages=[https://archive.org/details/ministrylostgosp00jour/page/68 68–69]|name-list-style=amp|isbn=978-0-306-82218-6|via=the Internet Archive}}</ref> Since leaving Ministry, Barker has distanced himself from Jourgensen and the two have had almost nothing positive to say about their relationship in the band.

Barker was quoted in a 2011 interview that it was "tough to watch" the band's ''Fix: The Ministry Movie'' documentary as he could no longer associate himself with the band.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Baltin|first1=Steve|title=Ex-Ministry Bassist Says 'Ministry Movie' Tough to Watch|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ex-ministry-bassist-says-ministry-movie-tough-to-watch-20111026|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=June 7, 2016}}</ref> When asked in a 2015 interview if he would ever work with Jourgensen again, he replied, "I'm fairly confident we will not work together. We have zero relationship now." When asked why he left Ministry, he replied he was no longer willing to put up with the stupidity and decided that it was enough.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfbayareaconcerts.com/2015/11/an-interview-with-paul-barker-112015.html|title=An Interview with Paul Barker (11/20/15)|last1=keating|website=San Francisco Bay Area Concerts|first1=kevin|access-date=June 29, 2016}}</ref>

Barker has since moved on to other things and in 2016, seems to have more or less made peace with Ministry. "Of course, that was a very intense time and extremely rewarding. That was quite a while ago and I rarely think about it. I'm still fascinated with the heaviest, ugliest music and it's now hard to find the time for those pursuits. I am not in direct contact with Al these days."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Rambo|first1=Nick|title=The Darkest Place in Portland: Malekko Heavy Industry|url=http://tonereport.com/blogs/interviews/the-darkest-place-in-portland-malekko-heavy-industry|website=Tone Report|access-date=June 7, 2016}}{{Dead link|date=August 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>

In 2018, Jourgensen reconciled with Barker after they both made appearances at screenings for the documentary ''Industrial Accident: The Story of Wax Trax! Records''. Jourgensen has stated he is eager to collaborate with Barker very soon.<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/8483676/ministry-al-jourgensen-paul-barker-bury-the-hatchet-consider-future-music|title=Ministry's Al Jourgensen and Paul Barker Bury the Hatchet, Consider Future Music Plans|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}}</ref> In March 2024, it was announced that Barker would reunite with Jourgensen to write, perform, and produce what is quite possibly the final Ministry album.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Metal Hammer |title="It'll be something you haven't heard in 20 or 30 years – it's the perfect way to go out": Al Jourgensen is reuniting with a legendary ex-bandmate for Ministry's final album |url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/ministry-al-jourgensen-paul-barker-reunite-final-album |website=Metal Hammer |date=March 13, 2024 |access-date=10 July 2024}}</ref>

=== Lead into Gold ===
Lead into Gold is Barker's current solo project. 

In Summer of 2018 he released the full length album ''The Sun Behind The Sun'', followed by a North America tour with OhGr ([[Nivek Ogre]]) and [[Mahsa Zargaran (Omniflux)|Omniflux (Mahsa Zargaran)]]. 

In Spring of 2023 Barker released another full length album ''The Eternal Present'', followed by a North America tour with [[Skinny Puppy]]. 

=== Post-Ministry ===
Since 2003, Barker has spent his time recording new material, producing such acts as [[I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness]] and collaborating with artists such as Stayte (on their 2007 ''Cognitive Dissonance (The Art of Lying To Yourself)'' EP). He joined [[U.S.S.A.]] with Duane Denison ([[Tomahawk (band)|Tomahawk]], ex-[[The Jesus Lizard]]) as bassist. The first album from his solo project Flowering Blight,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prongs.org/ministry/|title=Ministry – Homepage|access-date=June 19, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://floweringblight.com/index.php/main|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080807122043/http://floweringblight.com/index.php/main|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 7, 2008|title=Flowering Blight website|access-date=June 19, 2016}}</ref> entitled ''The Perfect Pair'', was released on November 19, 2008, via the official website.

In 2011, Barker remixed the [[Deadly Apples]] song "Self Inflicted Oppression" with samples from Ministry's ''[[Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs|Psalm 69]]''. The remix was featured on the soundtrack for the documentary film ''Fix: The Ministry Movie''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://regenmag.com/blog/fix-the-ministry-movie/|title=FIX: The Ministry Movie|date=September 27, 2012|website=ReGen Magazine|access-date=December 29, 2019}}</ref>

Barker released ''Fix This!!!'' on April 10, 2012.  This album features guests such as [[Chris Connelly (musician)|Chris Connelly]], [[Nivek Ogre|Ogre]], [[Taylor Momsen]], [[Puscifer]], [[Deadly Apples]], [[Alexis Marshall]], [[Joshua Bradford]], and [[Devix Szell]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.prongs.org/ministry/news/|title=Ministry – Homepage|access-date=June 19, 2016}}</ref>

In 2015, Barker joined the touring lineup of rock supergroup [[Puscifer]] as their bassist.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://music.mxdwn.com/2015/08/18/news/paul-barker-formerly-of-ministry-joins-puscifer/|title=Paul Barker, Formerly Of Ministry, Joins Puscifer -|date=August 18, 2015|website=mxdwn Music|language=en-US|access-date=December 29, 2019}}</ref>

Barker is also one of the founders of Malekko Heavy Industry Corporation, a manufacturer of [[synthesizer]] modules and [[guitar]] effect pedals.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.malekkoheavyindustry.com/|title=Malekko Heavy Industry|access-date=June 19, 2016}}</ref>

== Bands ==
*[[The Blackouts]] (1979–1985)
*[[Ministry (band)|Ministry]] (1986–2003, 2024)
*[[Pailhead]] (1987–1988)
*[[Revolting Cocks]] (1987–1993, 2016–present)
*[[Lard (band)|Lard]] (1988–2000)
*[[Lead into Gold]] (1988–1990, 2015, 2017–present)
*[[1000 Homo DJs]] (1988, 1990)
*[[Acid Horse]] (1989)
*[[PTP (band)|PTP]] (1989)
*[[Pigface]] (1990)
*[[Pink Anvil]] (2001, 2003)
*[[U.S.S.A.]] (2006–present)
*Flowering Blight (2008)
*Bells into Machines (2013–2022)
*[[Puscifer]] (2015, tour)

== Discography ==

=== Studio albums ===

==== Blackouts ====

* Exchange of Goods (1981)
* Lost Souls Club (1985)
* History in Reverse (2004)

==== Lard ====

* [[The Power of Lard]] (1989)
* [[The Last Temptation of Reid]] (1990)
* [[Pure Chewing Satisfaction]] (1997)
* [[70's Rock Must Die]] (2000)

==== Lead Into Gold ====

* Chicks and Speed: FUTURISM (1990)
* Age of Reason (1990)
* Low & Slow (2015)
* [https://paulionbarker.bandcamp.com/album/a-savage-gift A Savage Gift (2018)]
* [https://paulionbarker.bandcamp.com/album/the-sun-behind-the-sun The Sun Behind the Sun (2018)]
* [https://paulionbarker.bandcamp.com/album/the-eternal-present The Eternal Present (2023)]

==== Ministry ====

* [[The Land of Rape and Honey]] (1988)
* [[The Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Taste|The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste]] (1989)
* [[In Case You Didn't Feel Like Showing Up]] (Live) (1990)
* [[Psalm 69: The Way to Succeed and the Way to Suck Eggs]] (1992)
* [[Filth Pig]] (1995)
* [[Dark Side of the Spoon]] (1999)
* [[Sphinctour]] (Live) (2002)
* [[Animositisomina]] (2003)

===== Pailhead =====

* I Will Refuse (1987)
* Trait (1988)

===== Pigface =====

* [[Gub]] (1991)

===== Revolting Cocks =====

* [[Beers, Steers, and Queers]] (1990)
* [[Linger Ficken' Good]] (1993)

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*[https://www.paulionbarker.com/ Paul Ion Barker official website]

{{Ministry (band)}}
{{Pigface}}
{{Lard}}
{{Puscifer}}
{{Revolting Cocks}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barker, Paul}}
[[Category:1959 births]]
[[Category:20th-century American bass guitarists]]
[[Category:21st-century American bass guitarists]]
[[Category:21st-century American guitarists]]
[[Category:Alternative metal bass guitarists]]
[[Category:American audio engineers]]
[[Category:American heavy metal bass guitarists]]
[[Category:American industrial musicians]]
[[Category:American male bass guitarists]]
[[Category:American rock bass guitarists]]
[[Category:Record producers from California]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Ministry (band) members]]
[[Category:Musicians from the San Francisco Bay Area]]
[[Category:Musicians from Palo Alto, California]]
[[Category:Pigface members]]
[[Category:Guitarists from California]]
[[Category:Lard (band) members]]
[[Category:Industrial metal musicians]]
[[Category:Puscifer members]]